Pale Batis

Overview

The pale batis, also known as the Mozambique batis, is a small bird in the wattle-eyes family, Platysteiridae, classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is an active species found in eastern Africa.

Identification

• Pale grey above with a black face mask bordered by a thin white supercilium, yellow eye, and faint white spots on the back.
• White underparts marked by a black breast band in males and a pale rufous breast band in females; immature birds have a browner band and buffy underparts.
• Bill and legs are black; measures 10.5–11.5 cm in length and weighs 8–13.1 g.
• Territorial call is a repeated, mournful 3-note 'pook pook pook', with females duetting excited 'wik-wik' calls.

Habitat

Occurs in eastern Africa from coastal Kenya through Tanzania, including Zanzibar and Mafia, to Mozambique and parts of Malawi and Zimbabwe. Typically inhabits lowland miombo woodland, mopane, and acacia, usually below 500 m, though in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe it is found up to 1,500 m in Uapaca and mountain acacia woodland.

Diet

Forages by gleaning insects from leaves and branches, occasionally hovering, and often joins mixed foraging parties.

Did you know?

Males gather in single-sex aggregations known as 'parliaments' immediately prior to the breeding season, flying excitedly while snapping their bills and fanning their wings.